Photographing in Vermont can be tricky in order to get saleable or prize winning images. There are a lot of small things that you have to look out for or they will spoil your photograph.
Wen photographing in the colorful autumn , check the trees in the scene to make sure that none of them are bare of leaves. That naked tree will spoil the shot. Also watch out for telephone or electrical wires in the sky area. Try to hide them in the trees by selecting a different angle. Another hint for better pictures when you are shooting a colorful Fall scene, with a dirt road, be sure that there are some colorful fallen leaves on the foreground of the road, even if you have the gather up some leaves and spread them around on the road, it will improve the photo 100%.
Many Vermont photographers carry a 6 foot folding ladder in their car so they can get up higher for better composition. Many times the higher angle will hide telephone wires. They even have a monopod welded to the top of the ladder for their camera.
Don't forget to take along a polarizing filter to bring out the color in the foliage and darken the sky area. A good combination of filters for transparencies, are the polarizing filter and an 81A filter. This combination warms and enhances the color of the scene.
When shooting in the Winter, with snow on the ground there are several things to watch out for. Carry a shovel with you for two reasons. One, in case you get stuck in the snow. The second has to do with improving the scene. A snow scene, with a road in it, should have the road covered with snow. Most times they are, but some have bare spots. Now you can cover those bare spots by shoveling snow on them.
Also snow scenes need tree branches with snow on them, also roof tops of barns and houses need snow on them to make a prize winner. Best to shoot snow scenes in Vermont right after a snow storm.
You have to be very careful on all the roads in Vermont. There are deep gullies at the edge of the road to handle the water run off from the hills and fields. In the Autumn, tall grass will hide the gullies and in the winter the snow covers them.
Even though this is the day of the "Cell" phone, it is best to use the "buddy" system when traveling around the back roads in Vermont. The buddy system means having another car with you. In case of a breakdown they can go for help. In the winter time you can get stuck in the snow, this is where that shovel may help, if not, flag down the first car that passes and ask them to get help. Many times the first vehicle will be a four wheel drive truck and they will pull you out. If no one comes by you will have to walk to the nearest farm or house to get help.
Be sure to pack a lunch or have food and water available as you may be miles away from any eating facilities when you are photographing in the back country of Vermont. A first aid kit and your medication should be brought along with you. Clothing is another problem. In the Fall of the year the weather in Vermont can go from hot to cold in one day, so you have to plan on taking layers of clothes. Early mornings it can be very cold and you will have to dress warmly, but by noon time and the rest of the afternoon it can be in the high 70's and you will have to peel off some of those layers of clothes.
Winter time presents other problems for clothing and equipment. Mornings can be as low as 10 below zero when your out shooting a scene to catch the beautiful early morning light and you must dress for it or you will be very uncomfortable standing around in the cold, waiting for the sunrise and morning light. Also, you camera may have to be protected from the cold. Don't put it on a tripod and let it stand around for 20 or 30 minutes in the cold while you wait for the best lighting conditions as you may find that the shutter froze up on you. Best to set the scene and keep you camera in your warm car on under your coat and then set it up 5 minutes before the special lighting appears.
Make your motel reservation in early summer for a Fall trip to Vermont as they get booked up early by sightseers, bow hunters, football fans, artists and photographers. Also, bring along twice as much film as you think you will need. The local stores will be cleaned out of film as soon as the first leaf turns color.
Make sure you take all your discarded film boxes back to motel with you. Don't throw them away at the photo-scenic as you will be littering up the scene. If you have to cross private property to take your picture it is best to ask permission from the farmer or home owner, to do so, or you may find an angry dog charging at you. a word about dogs in Vermont. Never assume that they are friendly as they are usually guard dogs for the protection of the property.
So, think before you shoot and you will come home with those prize photographs.
NOTE: You can order Arnold's book on photographing in Vermont via the Internet.